Definition of Information Technology
In the broadest sense, information technology refers to both the hardware and software that are used to store, retrieve, and manipulate information.
At the lowest level you have the servers with an operating system. Installed on these servers are things like database and web serving software. The servers are connected to each other and to users via a network infrastructure. And the users accessing these servers have their own hardware, operating system, and software tools.
Definition of CPU
The CPU (central processing unit) is the part of a computer controls the interpretation and execution of instructions. Generally, the CPU is a single microchip, but that doesn't necessarily have to be the case. In the consumer desktop and laptop market, the CPU market is dominated by Intel, AMD, and IBM. These manufacturers supply the computer makers such as Dell, HP, and Apple.
Due to its importance to every computing task, the speed of the CPU, usually measured in gigahertz (GHz) is the number that most vendors use in their marketing campaigns. In the past, the larger the number, the faster the computer could be expected to be. However, in recent years, the speed of the CPU has had less impact as other components of a computer take on more and more of the workload. Also, differences in technology mean that a slower chip that performs more calculations per cycle can actually be faster than a higher rate chip doing fewer calculations per cycle.
Back to edu...Definition Of Hardware
Hardware refers to a physical piece of a computer. This could be a hard drive, monitor, memory chip, or CPU. The key idea is that the item is something you can touch. This compares to software which is not tangible in any way. You can't pick it up or weigh it. Yet, without software, hardware is useless.
Typical examples of hardware include the computer you're using to view this page, the hard drive that has this page stored on it, and the mouse you used to click on a link to bring you to this page.
Definition Of RAM
Random-access memory (RAM) refers to a storage technology that allows you to read and write data as many times as needed. Contrast this to ROM which allows data to be written once after which it permits only reading.
RAM is typically erased when a computer is shut down, though some RAM chips maintain data indefinitely without electrical power. Technically, RAM devices are not limited to memory chips, and random-access memory as a storage format is not limited to use as working memory. In a broad sense, modern storage devices for long-term or secondary storage, including magnetic media and laser-readable CDs and DVDs, are forms of random-access memory.
Definition Of ROM
Read-only memory (ROM) refers to a storage technology that allows you to write data only once. After the data has been written, you can read it an unlimited number of times. Contrast this with random-access memory (RAM) that allows you to read and write data as many times as needed.
Originally, the term ROM referred to memory chips. However, with the creation of other stored devices, the term is being used more widely. In particular, CD-ROM is used to distinguish CDs that can only be read and not written too.
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